On Friday, Pakistan’s Foreign Office (FO) dismissed claims suggesting that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has imposed a ban on issuing visas to Pakistani citizens. FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch clarified that visa issuance is a sovereign decision made by each country, and she emphasized that Pakistani nationals continue to travel to the UAE.
Baloch addressed concerns regarding visa issues, acknowledging that such matters are part of ongoing discussions between the governments of Pakistan and the UAE. The spokesperson also stressed that the issuance of visas and the stay of Pakistani nationals in the UAE remain important topics in bilateral talks.
The UAE has reportedly raised concerns about an increase in criminal activities involving Pakistani nationals, with some claims suggesting that more than 5,000 Pakistanis are currently incarcerated in UAE prisons. However, Baloch refrained from confirming these numbers.
In a recent interview, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UAE, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, spoke about challenges in obtaining visas for Pakistani nationals. He mentioned seeing some improvements, but still acknowledged that the situation remained difficult. This issue has become more apparent as hundreds of Pakistanis, including startup owners, IT professionals, and tourists, have faced rejections for visit visas, especially during events like GITEX GLOBAL 2024 in Dubai.
Additionally, some travel agents indicated that men traveling alone or under the age of 45 were particularly affected by the increased rejections. This situation has sparked frustration among Pakistanis, with some parliamentary figures remaining silent on the matter despite numerous complaints.
